Devious Little Angel
by netjer ankh
Summary: Bakura's day starts out with his best friend chaining him to his own bed and leaving him there. And he has to go to school. He's almost late and he falls in love with the new kid by the end of homeroom. This is one hell of a day.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own Yugioh! Sadly…**

The first thing that registers when I slowly come into consciousness is the sunlight streaming through my eyelids. Damn it. Why do eyelids have to be so freaking thin? Why can't they just block out all the light, and leave me in peace?

I groan, and then realize: it's Wednesday. Damn it! I have school today. I would skip like I usually do when I don't feel like getting up, but the principal says that if I keep doing it, I'm suspended. So I have to get up. Ugh, damn rules of the modern education system.

I roll over to the edge of the bed and sit up. I can already feel that my long white hair is a rats nest. So I get up and go over to where I have my brush in my desk. Should be easy, a task without hindrance, right? NO. NOT AT ALL. I start walking, and when I'm about half way there, something yanks me back and I land on my butt. WTF? So I look back, and what do I see? There is a chain connecting my by the neck to my bed post. How did I not notice that before? And then it dawns on me. That bastard.

"MARIKU!" I bellow, because I know he's in the house and waiting to hear my reaction to his sick idea of a joke. "I AM SO NOT IN THE MOOD FOR THIS! I NEED TO GET TO SCHOOL DAMN IT!" This time there is a reaction. The bastard's low chuckle, right outside my door. I see the door knob turn, and he walks in, wearing that idiotic smirk that's permanently fixated on his face. I hate him so much.

"There a problem 'Kura?" he asks, an expression that I assume he means to be innocence on his face. Psh. As if.

"YES. You are my problem! You and you're sick ways of entertaining yourself! If you didn't pay a third of the rent, you'd be dead and buried in the back yard right now! Now unchain me, you psychopath!" I'm yelling, and trying to reach him so I can strangle that amused light right out of his pathetic, violet eyes. He's dead! I don't care if I have to pay half the rent instead of a third, I'm sick of him, damn it! Ryou never has to know, I'll tell him that he moved to another country! Hell qualifies as another country right? Right.

Mariku smirks again, tilting his head. "Sorry, no can do, 'Kura. You'll have to find your own way out."

So I bellow the next name that comes into my head. "RYOU! HELP ME!"

The bastard chuckles. CHUCKLES. As if all this is funny, which to him, it probably is. "Sorry, Bakura, Ryou already left. Actually, I'm gonna go now too. I don't want to be late," he smiles at me and gives me a farewell salute. I feel the urge to bite his hand right off. That's wipe that smirk off his face. Too bad I can't reach. And he turns, exit's the room, and closes the door. A few seconds later I hear the front door open and close, and then his car speeding away. DAMN IT. What do I do now?

I ponder this for a few seconds, and then I realize. My lock picking kit! My lock picking kit is under my bed! Yes, I have a lock picking kit. You got a problem with that? No? Good.

So I scramble back over to my bed, and reach under and up, feeling around for the little case I've stored down there. I pull it out and grin in triumph. Bet you didn't think of that, now did you, you blonde psychopathic asshole! It only takes me a few seconds to free myself, and then I'm scrambling to get dressed, yank a brush through my hair, etc.

When I rush downstairs and look at the clock, I see I'm not going to have enough time to eat breakfast. Damn it. So I run out the door at full speed, and I stay in full speed all the way to school, making it to homeroom just as the bell rings. I sigh in relief, and walk to sit next to the bastard that caused all this. As I sit, he smirks. "You made it. I'm impressed, man."

"Yeah, well, it's amazing what I can do when a fresh wave of rage hits me in the morning," I reply. My tone is full of venom, but I can't help but smile. You see, Mariku's been my best friend since third grade. What? What do you mean our relationship's not normal? Don't all best friends treat each other this way? Forget it.

Anyway, Mariku, Ryou and I all share a house to save on expenses and stuff. Mariku's been pining after Ryou for a while, but the kid's completely oblivious to his flirting. Sometimes he's just too innocent for his own good. Or, in this case, Mariku's good. Speaking of Mariku and his crushing on my twin, he's staring wistfully over at Ryou right now. It's kind of pathetic really. He's fallen hard, and Ryou has no idea.

I snap my fingers in front of Mariku's face and he jumps, blinking a bit and looking at me. "If you like him that much, you should just tell him, you know," I tell him. He makes a face and looks down, shaking his head.

"You don't understand, 'Kura. You've never been in love," It's at this point that I roll my eyes, but I let him continue. "He's perfection. And if I told him how I feel, and he doesn't feel the same, I would just die! Just because you lack all sense of attraction to any living being doesn't mean I do," he finishes, crossing his arms across his chest and staring off into the distance before his eyes go right back to Ryou. I really don't understand what's so fascinating about the back of twins head. But hey, whatever floats your boat. Whatever the hell that means. Seriously, whoever came up with that saying was on acid or something.

Anyway, I'm distracted from my VERY important thoughts of what type of drug the person who first said 'Whatever floats your boat' was on, when the teacher starts talking. I would ignore her, but her voice is really annoying so I can't really pretend she doesn't exist when she's making my ears bleed. So I'm kind of forced to listen to her.

"Alright, class. We have a new student today," she starts, and I perk up a little. Who knows, maybe this new student will actually be interesting and won't let themselves be assimilated by the Borg aka The Popular Crowd. Yes, I know Star Trek. The teacher continues to drone on in her ridiculously annoying voice, but now I'm really listening. "He has come here all the way from Egypt, so without further ado," Dear God, could she be any lamer? "please welcome Marik Ishtar. Marik, could come in now?"

I hear a strangely accented, "Whatever," and grin. I like this kid already. Let's hope it stays that way. And then he walks into the room. My eyes widened and it takes all my willpower to keep my draw from dropping. He's beautiful.

He has long blonde hair, and he's very tanned, expected given he's Egyptian. It's a strange combination, but it's perfect on him. His face is… angelic. Perfect. His eyes are a dark purple color, absolutely stunning. And they contain a glint of mischief that assures me, despite his looks, he's no angel. He's wearing a purple hooded top that cuts off above the belly button. Oh God, he's got a body to die for. Lean, but muscular. He has golden arm and forearm bands, as well as a gold neck band and gold earrings. He has loose fitting black pants, hugging his hips and billowing out slightly as they go down his legs. Long, slender legs. All in all, he's perfection. Oh man. I think I know what Mariku means, now.


	2. Chapter 2

"_So Marik, why don't you introduce yourself?" the teacher asked, a smile on her face. The new kid raised an eyebrow and the corner of his mouth twitched up._

"_Didn't you just do that?" he asked, and I almost snorted. Beautiful and_ sarcastic.

The teacher blinked, and she seemed taken aback. Good. I've always hated her. "Well, yes, but new students usually say something about themselves."

Marik sighed and rolled his eyes. "Fine. Um, let's see… oh, well, I lived in a tomb for the first eight years of my life, does that suffice?" he asked. She blinked, as did I and so did the rest of the class, I'm sure.

"A… tomb?" she asked slowly. Marik sighed.

"Yes, a tomb. And it wasn't fun. It was dark and dank and miserable. Luckily my father was killed and my siblings and I were free to escape from the hellhole. Can I please take a seat now?" he seemed thoroughly annoyed at this point. The teacher blinked again.

"Um, yeah, right over there in the back, next to Jounouchi," she gestured and Jounouchi raised a hand quickly to show Marik where he was. The blonde made his way over with a bored expression, and pretty much everyone's head swiveled to watch the school's new enigma. As soon as he reached his seat, however, the bell for homeroom to end rang, and he swiveled on his heel and walked back out the door with the rest of us right behind him.

My next class was chemistry, and when I walked in, guess who was sitting in the seat next to mine, doodling absently? Marik Ishtar, that's who. The bronzed god with fiery purple eyes was just sitting there, apparently having decided he was going to grace me with his presence this period. And I couldn't have been happier. I didn't show it on my face of course. I couldn't have him _knowing_ I liked him.

As I walked up to my seat, he looked up at me for a moment and apparently what he saw interested him. I'm rather tall, so he had to look up a bit, and when he caught sight of the long white hair, his eyes widened a bit. It was adorable. I sat down and he put his pen down, straightening and leaning back in his chair, turning to face me a bit.

"I wasn't aware they had white hair dye," he said, one eyebrow raised. I snorted.

"I wasn't either," I said, smirking. I was used to that comment, white hair isn't so common after all. "It's natural."

"It is not," he was smiling now. And before I knew it, he had reached over and plucked a strand of my hair right out of my head, rolling his eyes when I said 'ow'. He looked at the root and his eyes widened in surprise as he saw that white was indeed my natural hair color. I rubbed my head and glared at him a bit.

"Well what do you know, it _is_ natural," he remarked, discarding the strand of my hair onto the floor. I huffed.

"You could have warned me beforehand that you were going to rip my hair out," I scowled and he snorted.

"Sorry, I wasn't aware you were going to be such a girl about it."

"Coming from the guy who wears jewelry and eyeliner," I remarked, given I had just noticed that last fact. 

Marik shrugged. "I'm Egyptian, get over it."

I laughed. "I suppose so. You realize you're going to have all the girls," _and some boys_ "after you because you're Egyptian? You'll be their shiny new exotic toy."

He shrugged again. "Well, the girls will be disappointed when they realize I don't swing that way, won't they?" he smirked when my eyebrows shot up. That was… good to know. He picked up his pen and started drawing again. I looked over and saw that he was inking over a pencil drawing of himself with a griffon on his shoulder. He was _really _good. The fabric on his shoulder where the creature was perched was wrinkled perfectly to show exactly how the weight of the large creature was distributed. The Marik in the picture was wearing a blood red cape type garment, with some kind of Egyptian kilt and no shirt, golden jewelry and necklaces hanging from his neck. The griffon's head was tilted, looking at you as you looked at it.

"That's… impressive," I said, and he looked up at me in surprise.

"You like it?"

"Yeah. It's really good."

"Thanks. Drawing's been a hobby of mine since I was young. It helped me escape, you know?" he smiled a bit, looking back down at the paper. 

I did know. It was the same for me, except my escape was writing, not drawing. I told him as much. 

"Cool," he said. "Who knows, maybe someday you'll become a famous writer and I'll be your illustrator," he smirked and I laughed. 

"Sounds like a plan," I said, and he raised his hand for a high five. I gave it to him with a grin. We both jumped when Ryou spoke from behind me.

"Hate to interrupt your career planning, brother, but you dropped your notebook in the hallway."

"Oh, thanks Ryou," I said, taking it from him and placing it with the rest of my stuff on the desk. That was where I kept all my ideas for stories and things of that sort. Meanwhile, Marik was looking back and forth between my twin and I.

"Holy crap. You two really are twins, aren't you?" he asked. Ryou and I laughed.

"Yeah, we are," Ryou said. "If I had a dime for every time I'd been blamed for something _he'd_ done because of a case of mistaken identity, I'd be rich," Ryou glared pointedly at me, and I just smirked. Ryou walked away and Marik turned back to me.

"So," he said. "I don't believe I've yet learned the name of my future business partner," he said, a smirk still on his face.

"Bakura," I answered, and he nodded. _Partner_… was the thought that ran through my head for a few seconds before I mentally slapped myself. _Expel all dirty thoughts from your mind, Bakura! You don't want unnecessary problems, especially not in school. That would NOT be good._

As I looked over to Marik, I saw that he had gone back to inking his drawing. No surprise there. A few minutes later, the teacher called the class to attention, and Marik sighed, putting his drawing in a folder that was filled, as far as I could see, with other pieces of artwork.

Chemistry was… interesting. There were a few mishaps with chemicals, at which Marik and I laughed hysterically until we were told to shut up or go to the principal's office. We shut up, but I have to say, we really hit it off. 

I had the rest of my classes with Marik too, and the devious little angel made them more than bearable, he made them _fun._ He made the whole class laugh, and we were good friends by the end of the day. Unfortunately, nothing more. Yet.


	3. Chapter 3

_I walked into school the next day with a smile, anticipating seeing my angel. My first class was Geography, and as I walked in, I saw him sitting in the seat next to mine. _

_He spots me and grins before saying, "You again? Looks like I'm going to fire my assassin, huh?"_

_I chuckled and played along, the amusement dancing in his eyes making him all the more beautiful. "Oh, don't fire him. He put up a hell of a fight, but… not enough to get rid of me. Sorry, you'll have to deal with my presence for at least as long as it takes you to get another one," I smirked and ruffled his hair. I discovered the previous day that he hates that… and he looks hot with his hair all mussed up._

_The teacher called the class to attention again, and I couldn't help but smile because I know Marik's gonna make some kind of disturbance. _

_Sure enough, as soon as she said 'Little Rock, Arkansas', his hand shot up._

"_Is there a 'Big Rock, Arkansas'?" he asked. I cracked up and slammed my head down on the desk, shoulders shaking. Marik, however kept a straight face, cocking his head and feigning innocent curiosity. The rest of the class was laughing too._

_The teacher blinked. "Um, no."_

_Marik furrowed his brow. "Then what do they compare the Little Rock to?" I almost choked on my own spit._

"_What?" she asked._

"_The Little Rock. How do they know it really is the Little Rock if they don't have a Big Rock to compare it to?" _

"_Well-"_

"_If there are no rocks that are bigger than it to compare it to, then shouldn't it really be 'Big Rock' Arkansas?"_

"_It's just the-"_

"_I mean, what imbecile named it 'Little Rock' if they don't have a 'Big Rock' also? Why are they picking on the rock and calling it little?" he looked upset at that point, and I was trying to breath correctly._

"_There's no actual-"_

"_Seriously, way to make the rock feel bad! Picking on its size, that's a low blow! What if the rock commits suicide?"_

"_A rock can't-"_

"_Then they'd be stuck calling it 'No rock, Arkansas' and wishing they didn't make the rock so Ra damned depressed by their malicious size comments!" At that point I actually started choking and Marik beat me on the back, the contact only getting me more worked up. I was still laughing._

"_Breathe, Bakura, breathe! 'No Bakura High School' would be a really stupid name! Breathe!" I stopped choking eventually, and was left sniggering slightly as the slew of comments about Little Rock, Arkansas had stopped coming out of Marik's mouth. The teacher looked like she wanted to die, and take Marik with her._

_We walked into Chemistry together, and my eyes widened when the first thing I saw was Mariku pulling my brother into a heated kiss. Marik was left stunned also. After a few seconds I wolf-whistled, and they broke apart, blushing and breathing heavily. There was silence and then Mariku grinned._

"_I did it."_

_I rolled my eyes. "After over a year of crushing on him, but yeah, you did it," I said, then grinned and turned to Ryou. "And I didn't see you complaining, in fact it looked rather like you were enjoying it," I chuckled as he turned beet red. Marik snickered and took my hand, leading me to my seat. _

_When he grabbed my hand, my eyes widened and I blushed, thank God Marik was already facing the other way. Ryou and Mariku, however, raised eyebrows before slow grins crossed their faces and they looked at me knowingly. Well, Ryou did. Mariku just wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. I was so going to hear about this later. From both of them._

_As we sat down, Marik pulled out his art folder, opened it and pulled something out, smirking smugly as he slapped it down in front of me. "Since you liked it so much, I finished it. All yours," he smirked. I blinked slowly. It was a larger, colored version of the picture he had been working on yesterday. In its larger version, I could see every strand of fur, every crease in the fabric. The shading was perfect, and Marik was… beautiful. Not as beautiful as the one sitting across from me with a smile on his face, but beautiful nonetheless. Hell, he had even made it look like the jewels he was wearing were reflecting light and sparkling. _

"_It's… beautiful. Thanks Marik, I… I really don't know what to say. Actually, I think I might just have to write a story around this," I looked up and beamed at him. He seemed to beam right back at me with the same intensity._

"_I'm glad you like it! I was actually fretting over that. And I would be honored to be in one of your stories. As long as I'm not killed off," he smirked, and I laughed._

"_I couldn't kill off my main character! I would have no story."_

_Marik chuckled. "Does that mean the story has more meaning than my life?"_

"_Yes. Your fictional one, anyway."_

"_You have no idea how loved that makes me feel, 'Kura."_

_My heart skipped a beat at the nickname. It sounded so right_ coming from his lips. I smiled… and then I groaned, because I remembered. I had work after school. It wasn't exactly the prospect of working that made me groan, it was where I worked, or more specifically, the uniform. You see, I worked at the Half-Moon Bakery, and I had to wear a pink shirt and apron. I don't do pink. But I do like money. So I deal with it. And the fact that I got free pastries at break time didn't hurt.

Of course, now that I was dreading the end of the school day, it went by in what seemed like seconds. Pretty soon I was at my job, which Marik had inquired about. I refused to tell him where I worked thought, I didn't want my devious little angel coming in and seeing me in pink and a ponytail. Ugh, the nightmares.

So I stood there at the counter, listening to people blather, wishing I could choke the assholes, and boxing pastries.

I have to say, it's the teenage girls I dread serving the most, because they always do the same thing. They giggle at me- pink and a ponytail, what did I say -and twirl a strand of hair around their fingers. They do that little fidgety thing girls do to make themselves more attractive, and they stare through half-lidded eyes, ordering in huskier than normal voices. Sometimes I wish I could just tell them I don't swing that way. But I can't, unfortunately, because that would be unprofessional.

So as I mused over these things I heard the bell on the door ring and looked up to see none other than Marik walking in, though he hadn't yet seen me.

"Shit," I hissed, and I ducked down behind the counter, getting a strange look from Otogi, my co-worker. I glared at him and put my finger to my lips. He looked at Marik, then me, and rolled his eyes, but he stayed silent. I had my back pressed against the counter, praying that Marik wouldn't peek over and Otogi would keep his damn mouth shut.

"What'll you have?" Otogi asks, and I hear my angel chuckle.

"I'd like to have the albino hiding behind the counter to stand up, if that's alright?" he says.

Otogi looked at me and I shook my head vigorously. There's a chance he's joking. In my deranged consciousness at least. He sighed and turned back to Marik. "Sorry we're all out of hidden albino today, would you like something else?"

Marik laughed again. "I know you're back there, 'Kura, Ryou told me this is where you work," I could hear his smirk.

"_Fuck,_" I growled, but I didn't stand up. There was no way in hell Marik was going to see me like that. "Go away! Or order something first, then go away!"

Marik snorted. "I don't think so, what kind of friend would I be if I didn't torture you at work?" he mocked me. I could hear him mocking me.

I growled. "I am not going to emerge from behind this counter until you leave! So go! Shoo!"

"Come on, you can't look that bad, stand up and let me see so I can make fun of you!"

"No. There is no way in hell you're seeing me like this, Mar- ACK!" I yelled as Otogi gripped me from under the arms and pulled me to my feet, revealing me in all my pink and ponytail glory. I scowled and looked to the side, sufficiently humiliated.

Marik's eyes widened as he took in the pink and the messy ponytail. He blinked a few times before a grin spread across his face. I growled, expecting him to tell me how ridiculous I looked. I was not expecting him to tell me what he did.

"You're adorable! You look like a big, angry, albino teddy bear! No wonder they hired you, people would come in here just to look at you in all your effeminate glory. My Ra!" He laughed.

My eye started twitching. "An albino teddy bear that's going to strangle you if you don't shut up," I growled.

Marik ignored me. "I'm gonna have to draw you like this now, it'll be eternal blackmail. I'll frame it and hang it on the wall, maybe scan it onto my computer and post it on the internet for all the world to see. Post it on Facebook, put it on DeviantART and Photobucket, email it to everyone I know," he looked at me and started laughing at my livid expression. Otogi was cracking up too.

"Dude. Send me a copy," he said. I snarled at him, showing my fangs. I have really sharp canines. That proved to be a mistake.

"Woah!" Marik said, leaning over the counter and pulling my lip back with a finger. I grew red, and Otogi raised an eyebrow. "Look how sharp your canine is! It's like a friggin' fang! Awesome!" I was still reddening as he marveled over my teeth, and now I was glaring at Otogi in a way that clearly said 'Tell him and you die'. He got the message. Marik finally let go of my lip and said, "Well, as much as I'd love to stay and tease you, I really should be going," he sighed and turned, walking towards the door and calling over his shoulder, "Bye, 'Kura and his friend!"

As soon as he was out of sight Otogi turned to me and grinned. "You love him! You have a crush!" Before I could respond, he dashed to the back, where everything is made and bellowed, "Bakura's got a crush!" I face-palmed, as I heard scrambling. In seconds Shizuka, Mai, and Rebecca were standing there, grinning like maniacs while I blushed furiously. That's not a normal occurrence, I assure you.

Then the questions came in a wave of feminine squeals.

"Who is he?"

"What's he look like?"

"Do you really have a crush?"

"Why was he here?"

"How did you meet?"

And so on. It was going to be a _long_ shift.


	4. Chapter 4

**I don't own Yugioh!**

The next day, I had go to work again, and I could only pray Marik wouldn't show up, because the girls were sure to rush out of the back and interrogate him like they did me the day before.

About an hour into my shift, I was boxing some pastries, back turned to the counter and happy that for the time being Otogi was the one dealing with all the teenage girls and their antics. I heard some shuffling behind me as I put the box on the counter, but I figured it was just my coworker. Then, right next to my ear, "Hi."

I shrieked and jumped an impressive height, thankful that the box in my hands was empty at the time. As I whirled, I could hear Otogi laughing so hard he was no doubt doubling up. And when I turned, my eyes met a mischievous smirk, tanned skin, blond hair, and happy purple eyes.

I clapped a hand to my chest and exhaled heavily. "Damn it Marik! You almost gave me a heart attack! You are SO lucky this box was still empty, or we both would've gotten beaten into submission by the girls! They are _scary_ when they're pissed! And - stop laughing! What's so funny?"

He was laughing so hard he was tearing up. "You scream like a girl!"

"I do not!"

"Yeah, you do, man," Otogi butted in, leaning against the counter. I rounded on him.

"You! Why didn't you warn me when you saw him coming over the counter?"

"I needed some cheap entertainment," he smirked, and my anger grew. I swear there was steam coming out of my ears.

Marik cocked his head. "Hm. His eye is twitching," he turned his head towards Otogi. "Is that a bad sign?"

"Ryou and Mariku say so. I've never been able to get him worked up enough to see the effects when he loses it though. I'd back up just in case."

Marik nodded, but he didn't back up. He smiled and put his hands on my shoulders, saying, "Breathe deeply, 'Kura. I'd rather not become the victim of a pastry attack." Otogi snorted at that one, but me? As soon as those hands touched my shoulders, all my irritation was gone. Poof! All I could concentrate on was the physical contact, and how is seemed to send jolts of electricity through me, making my heart race, and the blood rush to my face in a blush that I was thankfully able to hold back.

Marik noticed the change, even without the blush appearing on my face. He raised an eyebrow. "I think I found a pressure point or something. Cool."

He removed his hands and I let out the breathe I hadn't realized I was holding. I just barely heard Otogi mutter, "Pressure point my ass," and I sent him a glare. He held up his hands in an 'I surrender' gesture.

"'Kura?" Marik asked.

"Hmm?"

"Why are there three sets of female eyes staring at me from back there?" he pointed at he door to where the girls baked, and, sure enough, six girly eyeballs were peeking out, the women attached to them squeaking and retreating when they realized they'd been discovered. I sighed.

"Because the girls attached to them aren't capable of minding their own business," I muttered, rolling my eyes when a wave of giggles was heard from behind the door.

"And those girls are the ones who would have beaten both of us into submission had I made you drop a pastry?" he asked, still staring.

"Yes."

"... Do they stare at everyone like that?"

"No."

"Why me, then?"

Another wave of giggles was heard, including a rather masculine one from Otogi at the counter. He started to open his mouth, but shut up when he was impaled with one of the daggers my eyes were shooting at him.

"I suppose you're just more interesting than most of the customers we get in here," I replied, satisfied with my excuse. Until he smirked and raised an eyebrow.

"You find me interesting?" he asked, obviously trying to get a rise out of me.

"No! You are possibly the least interesting person I've ever met. THEY however, find you interesting, for reasons wholly unknown to me. So don't go getting a big head because you suddenly think you're interesting!" I was babbling now, but I didn't care. As long as Marik got the message. The blatant lie of a message. He just smiled and shook his head as if I was making an idiot out of myself. Which was easier than usual what with the uniform.

As I turned around to continue with my job that had been so rudely interrupted by the beautiful jerk behind me, I saw the eyes were peeking out again. I scowled and growled at them until they retreated. I sighed in relief. And then the hands came.

Where the three sets of eyes had disappeared, three sets of hands came flying out and grabbed my apron, dragging me into the back room as I shrieked indignantly. And not at all like a girl. Because I DO NOT scream like a girl. I have a very masculine shriek, thank you.

The frenzied whispers coming from the she-demons before me broke my train of thought, and after a moment, I was able to make questions out of the babbling.

"Is that him?"

"He's adorable!"

"Do you really like him?"

"Does '_Kura_ have the hots for blondie out there?"

That last one was obviously a jibe directed at the nickname Marik had given me. I scowled.

"Only he can call me that," I grumbled. Immediately the giggling increased and I realized that had made it sound an awful lot like we were together. I flushed and growled.

"That's not what I meant, and you know it!"

"But you wish it was, don't you?" laughed Shizuka.

"No! Not at all. You're all delusional. You three, Otogi, Ryou and Mariku-" they cut me off.

"Ryou and Mariku know of this crush too?" Mai asked, eyes lit up with mischief. "We might just have to talk to them!"

"No, you will not! God knows what sick ideas Mariku will put in your head!"

"Um, 'Kura?" I heard Marik call. "Are you okay? You aren't being assaulted are you?" he asked. I straightened myself and marched out to the counter.

"Of course not. I'm not so weak to be overpowered by a bunch of girls," I sniffed, trying to ignore the amused look on his face.

"But you scream like one."

"I don't!"

More laughter from everyone in the establishment.

"Agh!" I exclaimed. "You're all intolerable!"

A couple customers walked in at that time and looked a bit like they were ready to walk back out if a conflict started.

"Welcome to Half-Moon bak-" I started, then whipped around to snap at Marik and Otogi, "Stop laughing at me! -ery, what would you like?" They still looked a bit uncomfortable. It might have had something to my furious expression. I scare people sometimes.

The woman on the left started speaking first, hesitantly. "We'd just like a couple of cupcakes and a croissant, please." I nodded and turned, squatting to get the croissant, because it was on the bottom shelf of the pastry holder thingy. Then I heard the two bastards behind the counter with me giggling again. I grabbed the pastry, put it in a box and turned to glare at them.

"What? What is it now? What could possibly be so damn funny?" My eye was twitching again.

Otogi was leaning against the counter and managed to squeeze out a strangled, "You squat like a girl too!"

Marik was almost crying at this point.

"I do not! I do not scream, squat, or do anything else in an even remotely girly fashion!" I was getting severely pissed now, but I still grabbed a couple of cupcakes, put them in the box with the croissant, and handed it to the customers, who were also sniggering at this point. I would have yelled at them too, but again, it would have been 'unprofessional'. Then something hit me.

"Wait!" I turned to Marik. "Who are you to be making fun of me for being girly? Which I'm not. You, who wears jewelry and eyeliner?"

He wasn't even phased. He grinned at me and said, "I know I'm girly, though. Your denial just makes it even funnier."

"There's nothing to be in denial about!"

Then Mai's voice drifted out from the back. "You keep telling yourself that Bakura!"

I growled and squeezed my eyes shut, pinching the bridge of my nose to try and get rid of the oncoming headache. I gave up. I just sighed and sat down. Until the girls yelled at me to stop slacking and get off my lazy ass.

At least I didn't have work tomorrow.


End file.
